SJVC Visalia celebrated National Medical Assistants Week, Oct. 15-19, with week-long activities, community recognition and a special ceremony for <a title="Medical Assisting at SJVC" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/program/Clinical_and_Administrative_Medical_Assisting/" target="_blank">Medical Assisting program</a> students who took part in honoring their future profession.

The MA<a href="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/IMG_0196.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-319" title="IMG_0196" src="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/IMG_0196-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a> program chose “Medical Assistants, you make a difference!” as their theme this year. “Our students are the promise of tomorrow in this field,” says Cecilia Avalos, MA instructor. “During National Medical Assistants Week, we honored our past, present and our future.”

Many of the almost 200 students enrolled in SJVC’s MA program enjoyed a week of activities that included a “Healthy Eating” event that demonstrated healthy food choices and cooking techniques.  Mary Ann Cuellar, MA instructor, represented the college at a Visalia City Council meeting where Mayor Amy Shuklian presented San Joaquin Valley College with a proclamation plaque recognizing National Medical Assistants Week.

The week’s celebration concluded with an awards ceremony on campus where Mike Perry, SJVC’s CEO, talked to MA students about the importance of their chosen career’s impact on their communities. Students enjoyed the focus on their profession, refreshments and a drawing for prizes.